Toy electric vehicle and track



June 6, 1950 J. J. MILLER 2,510,241

TOY ELECTRIC VEHICLE AND TRACK 2 sheets-sheet 1 Filed A9111 so, 1948 k QJ N Jam as J. Miller IN N 0R. N

I BY m June 1950 J. J. MILLER 2,510,241

- TOY ELECTRIC VEHICLE AND TR K Filed April 30, 1948 2 Sheets-Sheet 2Fig.2 I I 9a ./04 me 22 Fig.5

James J. Miller INVENTOR.

Patented June 6, 1950 PATENT OFFICE ELECTRIC VEHIGLE AND TRACK J em s-,.M i! Blopmsburg, Application April30, 19%8, Serial No. 24,1495Qlai1ns (Cl. 104-14Q) This invention relates to new and usefulimprovements in toys-and the primary object of the present invention isto provide a novel and im proved electrically propelled vehicle and anend.- less track or runway therefor.

Anotherimportantobject of the present invention is to provide anelectrically propelled vehicle including an electricmotor carriedthereby, a pair ofconductive. rails, and novel and improved means forelectrically connecting; the rails to the electric motor for propellingthe vehicleon the rails.

A further object of the present invention is to provide. a toy electricvehicle and track including a runway having a pair of conductive railsenclosed therein, rollers frictionally engaging the rails, and guide.means. between the rollers and the electrically: propelled vehicleslidably engage ing' acontinuous; guideway formed in the runway.

A still further aim of the. present invention is to provide. atoyelectric-vehic an t a k of e a r tioned characte that is s m le andpractical construction, strc sd e e in use, small and comnactinstructure, s e a d fficient. in use. n at an at ractive n earancerelatively inexpensive to manufacture, and otherwise well adapted for tpur o s for hi the same is intended.

her objects a iia v ntases resi th d tai s of con t uct n re 9.1 a erefu l her ina ter si sc me ef r nce b in ha to the in ny....s d awin e mie like sum ls e r to ke parts throu hout and i Fi ure 1 i a to 1 1 s ere er ca sect na vi w o he plane o re sen seehic e v. n can tion a theistio i wi h the prese nventhe y port o m d Fi ur s f a menta long tudinahor ta S c i na vi w taken substantiall he plane of section line 5-5 ofFigure 2;

Figure 5 is a group perspective view of a pair of adjacent tracksctions'in a separated position; and

Figure 7 is a detailed vertical sectional View showing the rail-engagingrollers of one vehicle engaged upon the non-conductive finger of anothervehicle,

Referring now to the drawings in detail, where.- for the purpose ofillustration, there diso d a preferred embodiment oi the presentinnuipn. the numeral Ill represents the tracl; .or runway that is usedin conjunction with the present invention generally. This track I0includes a plurality of straight sections l2 and a plurality of curvedsections M which are so disposed as to form a continuous path or bearingsurface for an electrically propelled vehicle that is designatedgenerally by the numeral I6.

T e t ns. Zan -e c inelud u e w lls orbearing surfaces l8, lower wallsor hearing surfaces 20, and side walls 22- and 24 integrally formed withthe walls [8 and; 2|) Eixed to suit]- alole insulated. strips 25 on the.inneriace of each lower wall 20, is a pair of spaced parallel conductiverails 26 and 28; One end of each of. the rails are formed with socket3|! and the remaining end of each of the rails is formed with a reducedtongue or extension 32 whereby adjacent sections may be connected toeach otherwith. the extens c s .2- c r ried b one s ion en ag n he sck,- ets 30 of an adjacent section. The rails of one ru section, for xamle se t c-n .4

nee dto a p i of ce d ct W e 38 that lead to a suitable source. ofelectric current such as a transformer T'.

h le t ieefly er e fiq ehicle ii. n lud s a s at lfl a ng fixed there oai o ep nd n earin ea s 42 tha r tat hly sup o t a rear driving axlelll,anda fgrward driven ag le. 45 Suitably fixed on the. terminals of the,rear angle 44, is a pair of 33% Wheels. Q8, and fixed on. the mi s of te orward, axlefifi. a i of 9 d Wh ls D- Extend n th ough a suitable apere 52. rcvidedin t e. base relate i l aqiaent the fo wa d. xle i the up ehreaded e .4 o a depending orward conduc iverod 56 wh ch is. e dadjustable and fired t the b plate 40 by a pair of nuts 58. The lowerestera l t ea ed end. 5'! cf the es it. .s an aperture t2 ro d n llblfi3i 1 rectaneu e sen-rend A. ar helpline. P ate 54. and. i h l thereto thrh the me an of 3% De endin rcm the lic re lat A. ar Pairs ct su pr iiienest t and 9, t at n e cen- Que ive plates 1?: Thes sensitive platesare. rie ra y erried, with pa s c screed ears 1! a d trat ctstab y siercrtcomlu tivc 911: we 18, and i that. en a e the r i s 25 and re.-spect veln Embra in c s i the. mat 6. as? .9.. ans. biases between he slace; at ii are the plates 12, are coil springs 82'tl1'at urge the rcrs. it rm!) 11 99 irietiena engagemen w fli m ali y in ad ustersvsiaiiired in cut e the, re. t9 the as; p ate .9 ntestin rear axle i sthe up er hr asleq rr t6. 9 a rear accessing cpl-ina ive x9e it he lasert e ed an 9 cf w i h es i ably sup orts as 9. r @Il 0.1 e

t-trel iii ix s 2 the h s: Plat 5! is e e r c r19 2?! haying a driveshaft 98, Integrally formed gages a gear wheel "52 which is fixed on therear axle 44. This electric motor 96 is provided with a pair ofterminals H04 and We one of which, for example IE4, is connected to theupper terminal 54 of the forward rod 56 by a conductive wire I08, andthe remaining terminal I06 is connected by a conductive wire I It to theupper end 86 of the rear rod 88.

It should be noted that the upper walls N3 of each of the runwaysections l2 and M are provided with longitudinal slots or guideways H2that slidably engage the rods 56 and 88.

The roller 18 is fixed to a conductive wire H4 that is connected to theforward rod 55, and the roller 80 is fixed to a conductive wire H6 thatis looped as at H8 about the forward rod 56 and is connected to the rearrod 88 to complete a circuit from the rails 26 and 28 to the motor 96.

In practical use of the present invention, the conductive wires 36 and38 are preferably connected to a conventional transformer, of the typeusually employed for electric trains, so that the current to the motormay be controlled for regulated speed or motion of the vehicle It aboutthe runway It.

Obviously additional sections of runway may be added to the shownsections so that a longer run of the vehicle may be maintained.

It should be noted, that when there are a group of vehicles Hi on thetrack 10 and one of of the vehicles becomes inoperative or stops, therollers 80 of the vehicle behind or approaching the same will ride ontothe finger 94 carried by the stopped vehicle, thus preventing harmfuldamage to the vehicles.

In view of the foregoing description taken in conjunction with theaccompanyin drawings it is believed that a clear understanding of theclevice will be quite apparent to those skilled in this art. A moredetailed description is accordin ly deemed unnecessary.

, It is to be understood, however, that even though there is hereinshown and described a preferred embodiment of the invention the same issusceptible to certain changes fully comprehended by the spirit of theinvention as herein described and the scope of the appended claims.

Having described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

1. A toy electric vehicle and track comprising a runway, a plurality ofconductive rails carried by the runway and connected to a source ofelectric current, an electrically propelled vehicle, roller meansengaging the rails. an electric motor carried by the vehicle forpropelling the latter,

means connecting the electric motor to the rails for energizing theformer. and an insulator movable with th vehicle and riding upon theadjacent contiguous portion of the rails adjacent the rear of thevehicle to form a ramp for the roller means of a vehicle trailing thefirst-mentioned vehicle.

2. A toy electric vehicle and track comprising a runway having an upperwall and a lower wall, a plurality of conductive rails carried by thelower wall of the runway and connected to a source of electric current.roller means engaging the rails,

means urging the roller means into frictional engagement with the rails.a leading vehicle and a trailing vehicle secured to the roller means, anelectric motor carried by each of the vehicles for propelling the same.means electrically connecting the rails to the electric motor and aninsulator carried by the leading vehicle and riding upon the railsrearwardly of the leading vehicle to form a ramp for the roller means ofthe trailing vehicle.

3. A toy electric vehicle and track comprising a runway including aplurality of adjacent sections .joined to form an endless bearingsurface, a pair of conductive rails carried by each of the sections,means for connecting the rails of adjacent sections to each other, therails of one section being connected to a source of electric current, aleading vehicle and a trailing vehicle, conductive roller means engagingthe rails, an insulated holding plate associated with each vehicle,conductive rods connecting the holding plates to the vehicles, meansurging the roller means from the holding plates and into frictionalengagement with the rails, electric motors for propelling the vehicles,means electrically connecting the electric motor to the rails forenergizing the former, and an insulator carried by and trailing theleading vehicle, said insulator riding upon the rails and adapted toreceive the roller means of the trailing vehicle to prevent the trailingvehicle from contacting the leading vehicle.

4. In a toy electric vehicle and track including a runway, a pair ofconductive rails carried by the runway and connected to a source ofelectric current, a leading vehicle mounted on the runway, first rollersconnected to the leading vehicle and riding on the rails, a trailingvehicle mounted on the runway, second rollers connected to the trailingvehicle and riding on the rails, and means for moving each of thevehicles on the runway, said means comprising an electric motor mountedon each vehicle and connected to the rollers; a non-conductive fingercarried by the leading vehicle and riding on the rails rearwardly of theleading vehicle, said finger forming a means for receiving the firstrollers to break the circuit to the motor carried by the trailingvehicle and to prevent the trailing vehicle from contacting the leadingvehicle.

5. A toy vehicle and track comprising a runway, a plurality ofconductive rails carried by the runway and connected to a source ofelectric current, a vehicle mounted on th runway, an electric motorcarried by the vehicle for propelling the latter, said runway having aguide slot therein, a forward rod depending from the vehicle andslidably received in the guide slot, said rod being connected to oneterminal of the motor, a nonconductiv support carried by said forwardrod and spaced above the rails, supporting posts depending frcm saidsupport, conductive plates slidably received on said posts, rollers onsaid plates and riding on said rails, spring means on said postsyieldingly urging said rollers against said rails, a rear rod dependingfrom the vehicle and slidably received in said guide slot, said rear rodbeing electrically connected to said forward rod and the remainingterminal of said motor, and a non-conductive finger secured to th rearrod and riding upon the rails rearwardly of the vehicle.

JAMES J. MILLER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,507,723 Avery Sept. 9, 19241,606,691 Boyer Nov. 9, 1926 1,700,640 Mangels Jan. 29, 1929

